of these programs receive a second degree from a partner university. The university collaborates with large St. Petersburg companies, including Elektropribor, LOMO, Mendeleev Institute for Metrology. The university supports a variety of scholarships: President of the Russian Federation, The Government of the Russian Federation, the Government of St. Petersburg, special scholarships in math, physics, IT, Research Council scholarship, name scholarship by LOMO and other companies. Students and staff carry out research and project activities on their own and as part of programs funded by the state and international contracts, federal and industry targeted programs. The university organizes and hosts competitions, congresses (for example, the annual “Young Scientists Congress”), forums, research conferences, including international (“Sensorica,” “Fundamental Problems of Optics,” etc.). In 2013, the university was one of the venues for the Russian National Student Forum. The university has participated in student and instructor exchange programs financed by organizations, including the DAAD. ITMO is a member of the Association of European Universities. It also collaborates with foreign universities, including UCLA and ITESM. ITMO University is one of two St. Petersburg universities - members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. SCO University offers involved learning where students work based on individual plans, learn about life in a different country and thus add to their education at their “home” university. At graduation, SCO University students receive a regular diploma and a special certificate. The university is part of the Association of Technical Universities of Russia and China, founded in 2011, and participates in joint educational programs with the leading universities in China. This non-commercial organization unites technical universities of both countries and facilities student and instructor exchange. It was originally established at Harbin Institute of Technology and Bauman Technical University in Moscow. Several times ITMO University students won “Yandex. Algorithm” programming championship, organized by one of Russia's internet companies. It's not a student competition per se but open to participants over 17. In 2013, it welcomed over 3,000 programmers from 84 countries and several large companies, including Google, Facebook and Vkontakte. That same year ITMO students took gold and silver, and in 2014 – gold again, followed by another gold in 2015. ITMO team also regularly participates in ACM ICPC programming championship under the general sponsorship by IBM since 1997. In 2013, the university hosted the 37th championship and its student won the top prize. ITMO students received medals in this championship since 1999 and